Epilogue
by Sarahbeara333
Summary: Jack is being charged for Simon's murder. Ralph is feeling guilty about his part.


**A/N So I was assigned to write an epilogue for Lord of the Flies in my English class and here's what I came up with. Slightly odd.**

Epilogue

"Will anyone stand in favor of the defense?"

Ralph looked up guiltily from his lap in to the dark fiery eyes of Jack Merridew. Jack glared at him with something akin to angry betrayal and Ralph had to look down in shame. His long tanned fingers fidgeted with his tucked shirt, desperate to get out of the courtroom as fast as possible. Why did this feel so much worse than when Roger was sentenced to his incarceration? A day previous, Ralph had looked on with cold, unforgiving eyes as the murderer of Harry Constantine (the true name of his late friend Piggy) was convicted and given seven years in Juvenile prison until he came of age. Hell, Ralph had almost broken down in a barely-hidden cackle of mirth when the savage had been dragged away by the authorities, screaming bloody murder.

So still the question was posed, why was he so regretful when it was Jack on the chopping block? Even thinking about it made him feel rather sick. Perhaps it was because while Roger had truly been to blame for Piggy's death, Simon's had been all of their faults. He glanced around at his fellow survivors; who were all sitting in their seats as he was—guiltily looking down at their calloused hands whilst twiddling their thumbs. Samneric were the only exception to this rule. They both were sat in their mahogany court bench seats staring straight over Jack's head and through the stained glass window that cast beastly, colorful shapes on the marble tiles below. They both held looks of interest on their faces but their eyes were blank and unseeing. Neither was present at current—_probably back on the island, poor sods_ thought Ralph sympathetically. Neither of the twins had taken well to arriving back to civilization, although both were a lot better off than a few of the boys that had gone completely savage from the beginning—they were taken away for further observation.

Ralph's wandering gaze landed on their hands; which were intertwined, knuckles white and grip vice-like and he hastily shifted his vision to a few of the littluns. He felt as if he were looking in on a private family matter, an unwelcome intruder in to the minds that only the two completely understood. Many of the littluns were doing much better than the biguns because they had not fully understood that any had died—they thought it was all a game. He was not regretful to say he still did not know many of their names, aside from Percival. Percival was not present at the trial of Jack Merridew though; he was under going psychiatric treatment for something called Post Traumatic Stress, which Ralph did not understand at all. Some of the children were crying silently, he noted. Many of the boys were simply upset about all the soldiers and guns and had wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep in a bed but instead they had all been held for questioning, a psychiatric evaluation and a trial.

Neither the quiet twins nor the littluns could keep his attention for long and resigned, he slowly turned his head back to face Jack. Jack was the epitome of an accidental martyr. While he had certainly not chosen to be the barer of consequences, he had not said a word against any others, either. Not even Ralph himself.

His flaming red hair fell softly to frame his now–scrubbed clean face. His skin was a shock of olive and bronze, actually surprising Ralph when he saw it was the color skin is _meant _to be; rather than the spectrum of smeared flowers and berries that all the hunters had on the island. Jack continued to glare at him unblinkingly; his pale blue eyes dark and hungry for justice, although he would not demand it on his own. Ralph attempted to return the glare with a sneer but his hard expression faltered when Jack's face changed from fury to desperation. His face itself hadn't changed, of course but the something that was in his eyes—like a caged beast—was no longer there. It was now more the look of prey, pleading for its life with its predator. What did he want from Ralph? He would be unable to save him, even if he'd enough courage.

Ralph, whom was so unsettled by this change in mood, glanced at the prosecutor—who had been hired by Simons furiously distraught mum and dad. The attorney, who was looking quite impatient and tired of the whole ordeal announced to the judge in a thick cockney accent,

"Well this seems like a very open and shut case to me, your Honor,"

He sent a malicious grin Jacks way and continued,

"I suggest prison until he is of age."

Jacks eyes widened but he said nothing, choosing instead to bow his head and look properly ashamed. Ralphs own blue orbs popped of their own accord. The childrens prisons were horrid. They were dank and musty and much worse than any of the adult confinements. All the children were mean and cruel and many worse on their best day than Jack even in the throes of madness. They had visited one of the prisons once, as part of a school trip and more likely a warning to those who were considering going off on a path of deceit and evil. Ralph had watched petrified as a boy three times the size of himself was beaten with a stick by three other boys who were equally large. The boy's eyes had widened and Ralph had heard a sickening thump as a particularly large blow had struck the boy on the head before he could be ushered away by a teacher and guards ran screaming at the three boys. Ralph could still hear the crack of the boy's skull reverberating through the otherwise empty courtyard and shuttered, thoroughly shaken.

The look that Jack had given him moments before disappeared and turned steely with resolve. As the judge raised his menacing wooden mallet and opened his mouth to sentence Jack to the end of his childhood, Jack snapped his head up and stood on shaky legs.

"Your—your Honor, if I may."

He said, his voice but a loud whisper. He cleared his throat and rearranged his body so that he was facing the distrustful faces of Simon's parents. He looked as if he had a million things he wanted to say. His face contorted in emotion and then smoothed out, sorrowful regret taking dominance on his features. He shrugged his shoulders and said simply,

"I'm sorry."

He turned back and sat down in his chair, the entire courtroom looking thoroughly shocked. Ralph continued to stare at him, wondering if it was a furtive trick to get pity points from the judge. But Jack only sat and looked resigned to this new fate. _He's actually sorry _thought Ralph in wonder.

The Judge was the first to regain his composure. He opened his mouth to continue the sentence that would throw Jack to his misery but was interrupted by another voice. The judge glanced up from between dark, angry eyebrows at the scrawny, blonde boy who was stood in the audience—a slip jutting out from a sea of miserable looking boys.

"Please sir,"

Ralph interrupted hastily; trying his beast to ignore the frightening glare the judge was sending him.

"It—it wasn't just Jack. It was also I. We all—I mean Jack and I—killed Simon, we both deserve punishment."

All eyes were on Ralph, now. Some of the boys looked shocked at his easy admission of the truth, others simply relieved that they had been left out of the blame. The judge sighed but beckoned him up to the tall podium. Ralph nudged his was through the isle and walked down the space in between the two sets of benches. Each step seemed to echo blindly. Finally, shame burning his face at admitting the truth that had haunted him since Simon had been murdered, Ralph was at the podium and in front of the frightening judge.

"Son, you do know that is a serious allegation you're making against yourself? This is no time for games, boy. Tell the truth, are you sure that **you **were involved?"

Ralph looked fearlessly in to the middle-aged mans face and replied simply,

"I'm sure, sir."

"Does any one else in this courtroom have anything, anything at all to do with this boys death or any information pertaining to someone who does?"

The guilty faces of the children in the courtroom shifted hurriedly, as if checking to see if they were going to be called out by a friend or former enemy.

"Then I am afraid I must sentence you both to a Juvenile Delinquency Center until you are of legal age."

The judge beckoned Jack over, looking not at all happy with the situation. Ralph turned his head slightly to look at him. Jacks eyes were sparkling with gratitude and humility. Ralph knew in that instant, that this was enough. He didn't have to save Jack after all, only stand by him as his equal and take his share of the blame. Ralph tightly smiled at him and Jack sent him a worried twitch of lips in return. As the judge's mallet swung down to unforgiving wood of the stand, Ralph swallowed but for the first time in a long time, felt relieved.


End file.
